Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Indiana

Re: Time to collect Inheritance

If your grandmother's estate is being probated in Marion County, you could ask the court for a partial distribution. It is not uncommon for the amount of time you describe to go by before distribution, because the federal estate and Indiana inheritance taxes have to be calculated and paid, and the executor doesn't want to come up short, as he is personally responsible to the IRS and Department of Revenue if taxes are due which he does not pay. There may also be some estate income tax considerations to calculate. In any event, the executor could calculate a safe reserve and get court authority to distribute the rest, so long as five months have passed since the notice of administration was published. The probate judges of some counties won't permit a partial distribution. Ask your executor what's going on. If he doesn't respond, contact the disciplinary commission. Good luck.